The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. – Proverbs 12:15

The fools underlying problem is he can’t see that his spiritual eyesight is blurred. As a result he never listens to counsel. He just listens to himself tell himself that he’s OK. So you don’t want to be like this fool who doesn’t listen to anyone’s advice.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. – Ephesians 4:29

The goal when trying to give advice or correcting someone’s behaviour should be to build someone up to make them a better person. When giving constructive criticism you shouldn’t mix it with insults or say it with a condescending tone. You should say it with grace so that the person can receive it with the right intent. Pray that the Holy Spirit can help you have a difficult conversation with anyone.

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. – Proverbs 15:31-32

This proverb is self explanatory. When you are willing to listen to someone who is trying to correct you this is very wise. When you ignore instruction or corrections you could potentially hinder your growth.

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. – Proverbs 19:20

We all need to remember that we don’t know everything and there are just some things that other people can see about us that we can’t see about ourselves. This proverb is saying that we should listen to advise and instruction that is given to us so that we can add to what we know and be wiser in our future decisions.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. – Proverbs 11:14

Don’t be a lone ranger Christian. Don’t think that you can succeed apart from the help of a community of believers in a local church. instead seek guidance from those who love you and will speak divine wisdom into your life.

Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. – Ecclesiastes 4:13-14 NIV

Don’t ever think you are too important to learn. We all know people who have reached the top and yet act like fools. Continue to have a humble attitude so that you can keep learning and growing.

For the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. – Proverbs 3:12

So the word reprove is the same as the word discipline which means to teach and to train. The word Discipline sounds negative to many people because some disciplinary are not loving, but God disciplines his children in perfect love. God knows that in order to become morally strong and good we must learn the difference between right and wrong. Likewise we can discipline our children in order to teach them right and wrong being led by the love of God in our hearts. Also, when trying to give constructive criticism we are trying to help the other person to see the error of their ways.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17 ESV

If we ever want to get better at anything this verse shows us how. First we need to associate with people who are wiser, more mature and accomplished more than us. Secondly, we need to be open to receive feedback from those people so that we can learn to be better.